During each phase of his discussion, he stopped to ask the students if they had any questions. They did not, but their teachers were more than mildly interested.

``Diamonds are a topic a lot of adults are interested in,`` said Liz Perlman, an assistant principal at the school who accompanied the students to the museum.

The schoolchildren`s afternoon visit to the museum was a prelude to ``A Gem of an Evening,`` a fund-raising event Friday night to benefit the Palm Beach Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

The program featured an exhibit, ``Notable Women, Notable Diamonds`` by British Royal Photographer Norman Parkinson, of famous women wearing diamond accessories. It is accompanied by an exhibit of diamond jewelry valued at about $5 million.

``I learned a lot,`` said student James Storey of his visit. ``I learned diamonds can be worth a lot sometimes. I liked it because I really don`t see diamonds a lot like that.``